Pneumatic thread system for weft replenishing looms



Sept. 20, i949.. G. N. PETERSON PNEUMTIC THREAD SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOQMS Filed Nov. `8, 1947 Patented Sept. 20, 1949 PNEUMATIC THREAD SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS George N. Peterson, Grafton, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 8, 1947, Serial No. 784,792

Claims.

This invention relates to weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a pneumatic system for controlling weit ends and lling threads so constructed as to be efcient in its use of subatmospheric pressures.

Weit replenishing looms ordinarily operate with a magazine containing reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend toward some form oi control, such as a thread holder. In recent years pneumatic pressure has been used to advantage to eiTect this control both for tensioning the weft ends and removing them after being cut at the selvage subsequent to weft replenishing operations. In such looms it is also necessary to remove that part of the thread of the outgoing bobbin which extends from the shuttle to the selvage, and this result has also been accomplished by pneumatic means.

These pneumatic controls require a source of subatmospheric pressure to draw air into the intake mouths of both the thread holder and remover. In the past the mouths have been of Xed size and have required the source to be large enough to maintain operating pressures continually at each control. It is an important object of my present invention to provide the filling thread remover with an intake mouth of variable size so regulated that during the greater part of loom operation the intake mouth is quite small and represents a minimum leakage of air into the system. On replenishing beats of the loom when it is necessary to remove part at least of the thread Vof the outgoing bobbin the size of the intake mouth is momentarily increased to provide increased pneumatic Vtraction, vafter which' the mouth is reduced to its normal small area. With a thread remover constructed and operated in this manner the greater part of the capacity of the air pump or other, source Aof `subatmospheric pressures can be utilized by the thread holder.

The thread remover is normally 'in raised position and is moved down to operative pick-up position on weft replenishing beats of the loom and is then returned to its raised position.- The invention contemplates the provision of a valve, such as a sliding sleeve, by which the size ofthe intake mouth may be varied by the raising and lowering of the remover.

The removal of the filling thread is ordinarily accomplished in two stages. In the rst stage the thread is cut at the shuttle eye and partly drawn into the remover. In the second stage, which usually occurs several picks later, the thread vis cut .at the selvage and is then completely removed.

The rst stage is accomplished while the intake mouth is wide open, whilerthe second stage will ordinarily occur when the mouth is almost but not quite closed.. The small opening of the Vmouth is large enough to permit removal of the thread part which is released from the selvage but not large enough to constitute any serious load on the air pump.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of. my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side Velevation of a weft replenishing mechanism having my invention applied-thereto, the lay and part yof the loom frame being in section,v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing part of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and indicating the thread remover in its normal raised position in full lines and in its lowered thread receiving position in dotted lines,

Fig. -3 is an enlarged view of the rear end of the thread remover tube with the mouth substantially closed, parts being in section, Y

Fig. 4 is a view similar to a partof Fig. 3 but showing the mouth wide open,

Fig. 5 is la vertical section on line 5-5 yof Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View Villustrating the relationship between the thread holder, the

'thread remover, the source of subatmospheric pressures, and the lling thread.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and `6, the loom frame to has mounted thereon a support l l to which a reserve bobbin magazine M is pivoted at i2. The magazine may be of the two stack type, although the invention is not limited to this particular kind of magazine. i3 of usual construction is provided to transfer Athe incoming bobbin IB from the magazine into the shuttle S when the latter is depleted of weft. This transferring operation may be facilitated by a bunter lll on the lay'for engagement with the usual latch of the transferrer arm which is omitted from the drawing for the sake of clearance but is ordinarily supported on depending legs one of whichY is shown at l5 in Fig. 2. At transfer the outgoing bobbin OB is expelled from the shuttle and its thread F extending from the selvage is cut at C near the shuttle eye.

The transferrer arm moves about a supporting Astud i 5 on which is pivotally mounted a carrier I'l A transferrer arm held in position frictionally in known manner. A stud i8 on the transferrer arm overhangs part of the carrier il and whenever a replenishing operation of the loom occurs the transferrer arm i3 by its downward movement causes stud I8 to rock the carrier from the full line to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. This ordinarily occurs when the lay is on front center position, and on the next backward stroke of the lay a reset-V ting rod I9 rises to engage a shelf 2B on the carrier I1 to return the latter to its normal raised position.

Carrier has mounted thereon a tube 2| capable of back and forth sliding movement relative to the carrier. A spring 22 surrounds part ofV tube 2| and is located between a forward tube guide 23 on carrier and a collar 24 secured to tube 2| and normally holds the collar yieldingly against a rear tube guide 25 on carrier If a shuttle is misplaced during lay beat-up and engages the rear end of tube 2| the latter will slide forwardly against the action of spring 22 to prevent damage to the tube. This part of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be the same as that shown for instance in prior patent to Turner No. 2,336,321. The forward end tube 2| is connected to a flexible hose 26 leading to a thread collector 21 in which subatmospheric pressures are created by a pump P. A thread holder HY is connected by a hose 23 to the collector 2 and is the means by which the weft ends W extending from the magazine are kept taut.

The matter thus far described may be of the usual form and operate in the usual manner.

to a position low enough to attract pneumatically that part of the filling thread F extending from the shuttle eye to the remover and the tube 2| is then returned to its raised position. Later the thread F is cut at the selvage, as at 29, Fig. 6, and is pneumatically removed to the collector. Structure similar to the matter thus far described has in the past had a thread intake mouth on the remover tube 2| of xed size representing a considerable leakage of air into the pneumatic system, and this has imposed a rather large load on the pump P.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide means by which the size of the intake mouth for the filling thread F may be reduced to a minimum to reduce the load on the pump P when the tube 2| is in raised position. Provision is also made for opening the intake mouth to its full extent only when the tube 2| is in its lower thread pickup position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I provide a xed support 3U which is held in angularly adjusted position on stud I5 by set screw 3|. Support 3|) serves as a guide for a rod 32 the right hand end of which as viewed in Fig. l may be provided with a stop, such as a collar 33, to engage the support 3G to limit left hand movement of the rod. The latter extends rearwardly and preferably downwardly and is formed with an eye 34 for engagement with a shell or sleeve valve member 35 which is slidable on the rear part of the tube 2|. The sleeve has a flange 36 in front of the eye 35 which is urged against the latter by a light compression spring 31 mounted on the rear part of the tube 2|. A collar 38 fixed to tube 2| limits forward movement of the spring and the latter tends normally to move the sleeve rearwardly.

The left end of the tube 2| as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided with an intake mouth il which may be as shown in Fig. 5 of suflicient extent to At a replenishing operation the tube 2| moves down pick up the lling thread F. This slot is adjacent to the rear end of tube 2| and the latter is formed with a thread member 4| serving more or less as thread hook behind the slot 86. The rear end of tube 2| may be sealed by a plug 42 held in fixed position in any approved manner, as by brazing or welding. The mouth Ml communicates with the interior passageway 43 of the tube 2| and has pneumatic communication with the exible tube 2t and the thread collector 2. The sleeve 35 has its rear end provided with a horizontal slot 45 below which is a part d5 of the sleeve which is adapted to pass under and close the lower part of the mouth 563. Sleeve 35 is held against turning on tube 2| by a pin in the latter and a longitudinal slot i8 therefor in the sleeve.

In operation, the parts will normally be in the position shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 with the tube 2| raised and the spring 31 free to expand to push the sleeve 35 to its rearmost position so that all of the slot 4E! will be covered except a small part indicated at 5B in Fig. 3. This part of the slot preferably faces toward the cloth and at the left as viewed in Fig. 5. With the parts in this position there is a minimum of leakage through the thread remover and the pneumatic system. When a weft replenishing `peration is about to occur the transferrer arm depresses the tube 2| to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, and because of the differential action between rod 32 and the tube 2| the sleeve 35 will be moved forwardly on the tube 2| from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. fl. The entire slot or intake mouth 4%) is thus exposed or opened for reception of the filling thread F and the part 4| of the tube 2| tends to hold the thread in the mouth until its right end, Fig. 6, can be drawn into tube 2|.

As the lay recedes rod I9 restores the tube 2| to normal position and the sleeve slides rearwardly under action of spring 31 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thereupon greatly reducing the area of the intake mouth. It is desirable that the remaining unclosed part 56 of the mouth, Fig. 3, shall be sufficiently large to permit pneumatic attraction of the lling thread F as soon as it is out at the selvage by theV usual selvage thread cutter not shown. Slot lll has a notch 49 to receive thread F and keep it out of the path of part 46 of sleeve 35 as the latter returns to rear position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means by which the size of the intake mouth of a thread remover may be varied 1n such manner as to constitute a minimum load on the pump P during ordinary loom operation. At the time of transfer, however, the mouth is wide open when tube 2| is down to receive the filling thread F. As the lay moves rearwardly carrier |1 rises and sleeve 35 moves rearwardly on tube 2| to reduce the area of the intake mouth. Thereafter there will be a minimum of leakage of air into the pneumatic system through the part 50 of the mouth, but the latter will be sufliciently large to draw in the remaining part of the filling thread F after the latter has been cut at the selvage. Because of the operation of the invention the greater` part of the lcapacity of the pump P will be available for operation of the thread holder I-I throughout most of the operating time of the loom. Should tube 2| -be pushed forwardly by the shuttle rod 32 will slide forwardly in support 3U.

Having thus described my invention it will be encaisse 'thread'tei be removed, asouroe ofsubatmpspherlic pressure, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube pneumatically connected to said Vsource and normally spaced from the thread but moving to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, said remover having an intake mouth for the thread, a slide valve for the mouth on the tube, and means cooperating with the remover to control said valve and cause the latter to close the intake mouth partially when the remover is spaced from the thread and slide along the tube to open the mouth when the remover moves to pick-up position.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a pneumatic thread remover pneumatically connected to said source and normally spaced from the thread but moving to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, said remover having an intake mouth for the thread, a slide valve on the tube movable longitudinally of the latter to vary the size of said intake mouth, a rod operatively connected at one end thereof to the valve, and means holding the other end of the rod and causing the latter and the remover Yto cooperate to move the valve to increase the size of the intake mouth when the remover moves to pick-up position. Y

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a, pneumatic thread remover pneumatically connected to said source and normally spaced from the thread but moving to a thread pick-up position adjacent to the thread on a weftreplenishing beat of the loom, said remover having an intake mouth for the thread, a slide valve on the tube movable longitudinally of the latter and so formed as to close a part only of the mouth when the valve is in one position thereof and uncover the entire mouth when in another position thereof, means preventing angular movement of the valve relatively to the remover, and means dependent upon movement of the remover to place the valve in said one position thereof when the remover is in normal position and place the valve in the other position thereof when the remover is in thread pick-up position.

4. In a weft replenishing loomhaving a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a pneumatic thread remover pneumatically connected to said source and spaced from the thread when in normal position b-ut moving to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, said remover having an intake mouth for the thread, a slide valve on the tube movable longitudinally of the latter to vary the size of said intake mouth, and means controlled by movement of the remover from normal to pick-up position thereof to slide the valve relatively to the remover to increase the size of said intake mouth and slide the valve to decrease the size of said intake mouth when the remover moves from pick-up back to normal position.

5. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom, said remover comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth therein, a valve 6 slidable longitudinally en the tube relatively .to said -meuthand capable one-position of fclosfthe greater part ofthe mouth while-teeving a lesser part thereof lopen and capable inan- 5 other-position'of opening said greater olf *the mouth while saidV lesser part of the mains open, and means on the valve by which the lattercan be moved alor-rg the tube to either' of Vsaid positions thereof. Y

6. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom, said remover comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth therein, a valve slidable along the tube to two positions in one of which one part of the mouth is closed and another part thereof is open and inthe other position of which both of said parts of the mouth are open, means preventing rotation of the valve on said tube, and means on the valve by which the latter can be moved along the tube to either of said positions thereof.

7. In a pneumatic thread control for a weft replenishing loom, a thread remover comprising a tube provided with a thread intake mouth having a lower part and an upper part communicating with the lower part, a valve slidable on the tube normally closing the lower part of the mouth without closing the upper part thereof, and means operative on a weft replenishing beat of the loom to slide the valve forwardly along the tube to open the lower part of said mouth without closing said upper part of the mouth.

8. In a pneumatic thread control for a weft replenishing loom, a thread remover comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth in the lower part of the rear end thereof, said mouth having communicating upper and lower parts and the upper part thereof communicating with a notch in the tube extending forwardly from said upper part of the mouth, a valve slidable on the tube normally closing the lower part of said mouth and having a slot therein extending longitudinally of the tube through which the upper part of said mouth and said notch are normally eX- posed, means preventing rotation of the valve on the tube, and means operative on a weft replenishing beat of the loom to slide the valve forwardly on the tube to open the lower part of Vsaid mouth.

9. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling 50 thread to be removed, a pneumatic remover tube having a thread intake mouth and mounted for forward movement when engaged by a misplaced shuttle and moving frofm normal position t0 thread pick-up position on a weft replenishing 55 beat of the loom, a Valve slidable on the tube to vary the size of the intake mouth, a rod operatively connected at one end thereof to the valve, and stationary guide and holding means for the other end of the rod causing the latter to co- Q0 operate with the tube to slide the valve in a direction to increase the size of said intake mouth when the tube moves from the normal position to thread pick-up position thereof, said rod moving forwardly relatively to said guide and holding means when the tube is moved forwardly by a misplaced shuttle.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a thread remover including a tube pneu- 10 matically connected to said source and when in normal position being spaced from the thread but movable about an axis to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread, said remover having a thread intake mouth, a slide valve on the tube 75 normally closing the greater part of said intake 

